North Huntingdon couple lose bid to adopt grandchild
A North Huntington couple whose daughter was killed nearly a year ago lost their bid to adopt her child.
A McKean County judge has allowed a family in Kane in McKean County to adopt Megan Konopka's daughter.
Megan's parents, Carolyn and Dennis Konopka, filed paperwork to adopt their granddaughter, Michell Hardy, and underwent the required evaluations for adoption. But a judge has ruled in favor of Scott and Laura Lorenzo, who have been Michell's foster parents since she was 3 months old.
"We haven't had a chance to get over Megan's death because we've been fighting for the baby," Carolyn Konopka said. "We've done everything we possibly could. Now we have to accept it as God's will."
The Lorenzos directed all inquiries to their attorney, Erik Ross. Ross declined to discuss the specifics of the case but said the sides reached an amicable agreement.
"The adoption proceeding was resolved in a way that was in the best interest of the child, and my sense of things was that all parties involved were reasonably contented with the outcome," he said. "At the end of the day, there was a sense of cooperation, and some level of peace amongst everyone."
Carolyn Konopka said the Lorenzo family is kind and nurturing, and they genuinely love Michell.
The Lorenzos agreed to let the Konopkas become a part of Michell's life, Carolyn Konopka said. She added that she and her husband have been able to visit Michell almost every other weekend since October and were allowed to bring the child to their home for visits beginning in March while the adoption case was being decided.
McKean County Children and Youth Services placed Michell, who turns 2 this month, with the Lorenzos after discovering that Megan, 21, was mentally challenged and unable to care for her daughter.
Megan Konopka was found stabbed to death in the Riddell House, a low-rent hotel in Bradford, on Sept. 13, 2009. She was eight months pregnant with a son, who also died. On Aug. 5, McKean County President Judge John Pavlock sentenced Greggory Theobald, of Bradford, to two consecutive life sentences without the chance of parole on charges of criminal homicide and criminal homicide of an unborn child.
Bradford police also charged Thomas Haggie, 31, of Bradford, with criminal homicide, criminal homicide of an unborn child and conspiracy. Haggie, who pleaded not guilty, is undergoing a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation while awaiting trial.
Carolyn Konopka said she and her husband did not know they had a granddaughter until the McKean County coroner contacted them.
"Whenever I spoke with the CYS supervisor, she said that Megan had volunteered with Pet Friends and graduated from Norwin but couldn't follow it up further," Carolyn said. "There was absolutely no effort to get ahold of us."
Dan Wertz, solicitor for McKean County Children and Youth Services, said his agency was not a part of the adoption hearing. He declined to discuss the case.
Although it comforts her that Michell is in a good home, Carolyn Konopka said she can't help but feel as though she and her husband were wronged.
The Konopkas can't afford to appeal the ruling, she said.
"The Lorenzos are good people," she said, "but once she was adopted, we were not legally considered her grandparents anymore, and that's absolutely heartbreaking."
